Witsch schpanowsky



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sl1eet 1.

L. P. SGHPANOWSKY. MELHARMONIUM.

No. 530,605. Patented Dec. 11,1894.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

L. P. SOHPANOWSKY.

MELHARMONIUM No. 530,605. Patented Dec. 11,1894.

mum-1w llwlg -UNITED STATES PATENT Osman.

LEONID-PLATONOWITSCH SOHPANOWVSKY, OF ODESSA, RUSSIA.

MELHARMONIUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,605, dated December 11. 1894.

Application filed August 8, 1893.

To a. whom it may concern-.-

Be itknown that I, LEONID PLATONO- WrrsoH SOHPANOWSKY, a subject of the Emknown metal reeds, which are attached to metal plates and which said reeds produce the sound by means of a draft of air efiected by a pair of bellows. As to the succession of the sounds and the construction of the keys, the same are quite difierent. The harmonicas are tuned in a distinct strain or musical mode,

(0 major key, &c.,) so that I may play but pieces written in that mode. The tuning of the improved instrument is however chromatic throughout (like pianos and cabinet-organ) with equal sounds for the sharp and flat musical mode or tune. In the harmonica every key gives another sound when the bellows are pressed together or when they are drawn asunder. In my improved musical instrument each key gives in both cases the same sound. The touch-boards with the keys are in the usual harmonica but on the one cover. In my instrument they are provided on both covers like in the concertina.

The key-mechanism is arranged in my instrument in such a manner that the succession of the keys corresponds with the succession of the strains which is very important for beginners. The melharmonium contains also a number of pins on the rear side of the instrument which by a pressure of the thumb actuate the keys on the front-side. By that arrangement it is possible to use the right as well as the left hand and to produce full accords like on the piano.

Serial No. 482,696. (No model.) Patented in Austria-Hungary November 2'7, 1891 No. 36,650

and No. 61,927-

My musical instrument contains twentyseven sounds from the a of the small octave to the double-diapason g. The

number of sounds is limited to two octaves, in order to construct the instrument as small and cheap as possible. It is however obvious that the instrument may be constructed also with three or more octaves.

The improved musical instrument is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates a front view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 represents the rear view of the part on the right side of Fig. 1. Fig. is a resounding-case serving to cover the keys, with stop to set the instrument (for piano or forte). Fig. 5 is a cross section through the keys Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the metal reeds or tongs, and Fig. 7 represents a modified form of the instrument.

On both sides of the case 70 is, (divided by the bellows a into two parts) are the soundboards b I), having the form of a small box, and each containing the keys 0 of one or more complete chromatic octaves. The keys 0, piv oted upon a common axle p, actuated by springs f and provided with pressure-pins c projecting onthe fore-side of the sound-board, are connected by levers d d to the steps or vents e 6 closing the openings g of the channels t" provided in a block '5 and leading to the metal reeds h h. To each stop e belong two metal reeds, provided in a well known manner on opposite sides of a slotted metalplate It, so that the one operates when the air .is sucked in, and the other when the air is pressed out. The metal plates h are fixed upon small blocks i.

On each side of the instrumentthe stops e e and levers d d mentioned above are covered by a small box or case Z serving at the same time as a resounding-board, provided with openings Z Z through which is efiected the admittance and discharge of the air.

A register or stop on, provided also with openings and adapted to be set by a knob m serves to partly or totally register the openings aforesaid with the openings Z of the small box Z, in order to produce piano or forte.

A certain number of the keys 0 are provided on the rear side, below the axle p, with pins 0 projecting through openings of the sound-boards b b and which pins may be pressed on with the thumb. I Hereby I am enabled to operate such keys from the front side with the finger and from the rear side with the thumb.

The illustrated musical instrument contains on each side acomplete chromatic octave, viz: on the left side (Fig. 1) are fourteen stops (eight for full tones, six for semi-tones. On the right side however are thirteen stops (eight for full tones, five for semi-tones). As each stop has two reeds, the instrument has on the one side twenty-eight reeds, on the other side but twenty-six. It is however obvious that the number of reeds may be varied at will.

Vhen I play the left side of the instrument is taken with the right hand and the right side with the left hand in such a manner that the hands put under the straps n n have the fingers in front of b b and the thumb, behind b b.

The form of the case 70 and of the soundboard I) may be varied. For instance the case may have the form of a square, of a hexagon (Fig. 7) and the sound-board may also be of a cylindrical form (Fig.7). The keys may be arranged in two or more series and the small pins may be actuated from one side of the sound board by the fingers and by the thumb.

I claim- In a musical instrument the combination of hollow touch boards I) b with keys 0 c, c c

respectively on opposite sides of the touch- 40 board, actuating thus by means of the doublearmed levers 0 (Z the stops, or vents e, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

witnesses.

LEONID lLA'lONOWl'lSCIi SCIIPAXOWSK Y.

Witnesses: I

A. N. BERNADsKY, THOMAS MILES. 

